By-polls to Dhaka-5, Naogoan-6 on October 17; Pabna-4 on September 26

The Election Commission today announced the election dates of the by-polls to the three parliamentary constituencies Dhaka-5, Pabna-4 and Naogoan-6 amid the coronavirus pandemic.

EC Senior Secretary Md Alamgir declared the schedule of Pabna-4 setting the voting date for September 26.

Voting for the by-elections to Dhaka-5 and Naogoan-6 will take place on October 17 and election schedule will be announced in the first week of September, he said after a meeting of election commissioners held at the EC office.

The last date for submission of nomination papers for Pabna-4 by-election is September 2. The papers will be scrutinised by commission officials on September 3. The last date for withdrawal of candidacy is September 8, he said.

Alamgir said ballot papers will be used for Pabna-4 and Naogoan-6 and electronic voting machine (EVM) will be used for the by-polls to Dhaka-5.

The decision was made to fulfil the constitutional obligation of filling the vacant seat of a member of parliament, he said.

According to the constitution, by-elections should be held within 180 days.

The maximum 180-day time limit for Pabna-4 will end on September 28 and for Dhaka-5 on November 1. Elections to Naogoan-6 will take be held within the first 90 days of vacancy.

Alamgir said that the election will be held strictly following the health directives to prevent the spread of coronavirus. No public meeting and door-to-door campaign will be allowed during electioneering, he added.